4. Germany and Erich Maria Remarque's "Three Comrades" (1936)

As a person being quick-bored of most things I actually read several books at the same time. Sometimes they are ore that three. Yes, four books at the same time. No, I do not muddle up them and can continue each one from whereever I stopped.

 

I was a student who loved the lessons due to their teachers and once I saw one of my not lovely dean was reading this book. From that minute on I have never an idea of reading Remarque.

Three weeks ago on Facebook I saw that our Bookclub's next discussion would be E.M.Remarque's "Three Comrades". It was a long time that I could not join the club so I decided to read the book and join the discussions. Bought the book, finished befor the discussion date but did not join the club from laziness. 

Book was over at approx. 03.00 am last night. I wish it would not have. Till the last paragrapgh I was in an opinion that the girl would recover. But she would not. Died of tuberculosis. I could not help myself from crying.

 

Till the last paragraph of the book I was charmed of the book's being so light, it was stressless story without excitement. One was not longing for the next chapter to know what was the next. Being in the state of looking for a slight reason to cry, I could not utter even a teardrop when one of three comrades got killed. The scenes where Otto Kester was looking for the murderer of his friend - Gottfried Lenz were more impressive than his death.

The book itself is about three war comrades - Gottfried Lenz, Otto Kester and Robert Locamp keeping their friendship after war, living in Germany and having their own auto workshop. After a while this triangle is enlarged with Robert's girlfriend Patricia. And till the end of her life these three war comrades were doing their best to make Pat happy.

Loving the book I decided to read some more about the life of E.M.Remarque himself. Aaaaandddd knew that Pat was a prototype of his first wife Ilse Jutta Zambona. Jutta was also ill and Remarque kept on helping her financially after they got divorced. Even after his death he left her a heritage in the amount of 50.000 dollars.

 

All my thoughts about Remarque formed while reading the book got destroyed after reading about his life. First I imagined him as a calm, pure old man but he turned out a real life-person - He was so ashamed by his first book that bought all copies. Sold his title of baron. Loved Dostoevsky. Had collections of angel portraits, carpets and impressionist paintings. By the way, his most favourite word was "ass" :D. Sometimes he was suffering impotency. Friends called him Bonnie.

Also, the book was screened after 2 years of publication in 1938.

Now my most favourite sentences from the book.

1st is from the scene when Robert got newly acquianted with Pat:

- Keep things at arm's length... If you let anything come too near you want to hold on to it. And there is nothing a man can hold on to.

2nd was also said by Robert when Pat's condition grew worse at the final pages of the book:

- You are stronger than your fate unless you give up. (my own translation from Russian)

 Finally, my lovely covers.